Greenwich and Lewisham residents are urged to contact London City airport and local politicians with their concerns about the NATS (National Air Traffic Services) programme to ‘modernise’ the airspace. Changes to London City Airport’s flight paths might have resulted for increased noise pollution for Greenwich and Lewisham residents. London City has implemented changes by NATS that result in narrower flight paths in the hope of improving “efficiency.” This has means more concentrated plane noise over areas like Catford, Lee and Eltham. Campaign group Hacan East has opposed the changes and is trying to get the decision reversed. Greenwich and Lewisham London Assembly member Len Duvall said: “It is vital that residents who are suffering from increased noise pollution make their voices heard on this important issue …. There is technology available on the airport’s website which can help people track which flights are making noise near them.” Len Duvall said: “I would urge anybody effected not only to contact the airport but to also get in touch with me, their local council or their MP.” The airport will be reviewing the flight paths in early 2017 and will be taking feedback from residents.

Greenwich and Lewisham residents are urged to contact the airport and local politicians with their concerns about the National Air Traffic Services programme to ‘modernise’ the airspace

BY ALEX MCINTYRE (The Wharf)
13 DEC 2016

Changes to London City Airport’s flight paths might have resulted for increased noise pollution for Greenwich and Lewisham residents.

The airport became one of the first to implement parts of the National Air Traffic Services programme that brings in narrower flight paths in the hope of reducing carbon emissions.

But as a result, plane activity has become more concentrated over parts of London, including Catford, Lee and Eltham and protesters believe it’s led to an increase in noise.

Campaign group Hacan East has opposed the changes and is trying to get the decision reversed.

Greenwich and Lewisham London Assembly member Len Duvall said: “It is vital that residents who are suffering from increased noise pollution make their voices heard on this important issue.

“Any steps to reduce the environmental impact of flying should be welcomed, but this should be balanced with the needs of residents. There is technology available on the airport’s website which can help people track which flights are making noise near them.

“I would urge anybody affected not only to contact the airport but to also get in touch with me, their local council or their MP.”

The airport will be reviewing the flight paths in early 2017 and will be taking feedback from residents.

LCY can be contacted by email at environment@londoncityairport.com or by phone on 0207 646 0200.

Flood of complaints from people upset by newly concentrated flight paths at London City airport

August 30, 2016

London City Airport’s decision to concentrate all its flights paths earlier this year, with changes from 4th February, has resulted in a flood of complaints. HACAN East, which speaks for residents under the flight paths, has launched a short report outlining some of the complaints they received in just one month. With hot summer weather and people being outdoors more, or opening their windows more, the problem of aircraft noise is at its worst as people are most aware of it. HACAN East said the newly concentrated flight paths have brought complaints from many areas for the first time. The complaints have come from vast swathes of east and south east London. Hundreds of people have said they did not have flights in the past, but now get them sometimes as often as every 3 minutes. People who moved to the area are now subjected to a level of noise they could not have expected, and they are affected by Heathrow arrivals as well as London City flights. People are especially upset if they moved from a noisy area, hoping they had moved to a quieter one. John Stewart said that HACAN East has met airport representatives who said they “have not closed their mind” to looking again at the concentrated flight paths but will not do so until next year after the Government (DfT) has issued its forthcoming consultation on national airspace policy.

John Stewart and Rob Barnstone from HACAN East at London City Airport had a 2 hour meeting with the five members of the CAA, to discuss the new concentrated flight paths-causing intensified noise. The CAA is aware of the unhappiness amongst communities and local authorities at their decision to allow flight path changes in February 2016. One of the most unpopular changes is concentration of the departures route, in westerly winds, that takes off towards the west and turns north and east. The other change is for arrivals, in easterly winds, when planes approach from east, south of the airport. Most of these communities are also overflown by Heathrow planes on the days there is a westerly wind. Both these have led to intensified noise for thousands of people. London City Airport had argued that they could get away with minimal consultation on these changes because the changes were “not significant.” However, there has been a definite change since February. HACAN East pointed out that the CAA that there was no mechanism to look at changes over time. There were many many changes made in 2008 when the flight paths were changed to accommodate the larger planes which needed to make a much wider turn. HACAN East stressed that respite was important to local communities. People are encouraged to contact the CAA and the airport, to express their views on the noise issue.